Silent
by puzzlemistress
Summary: This takes place after Failsafe and Alpha Male. This is how I think Kaldur coped with everything that happened. He has a small little secret and the team finds out about their leader's history.


**(set after Alpha Male and Failsafe)**

**Kaldur's pov **

When the Bioship landed, I made my way to my quarters. I shut the door and let out a long overdue sigh. I went into my closet and pulled out my guitar. I waited for the doors to close before I went to the top of the mountain. I started to strum to random tunes before an actual song started to form.

**Silent: Tori Kelly**

Wake up in a new day, but it don't feel that new,  
>Same faces around me with the same point of view<br>Everything is perfect, and everything's okay  
>Just swallow the lies and let your emotions fade<br>But my heart won't be quiet, I feel a change

No more black and white, this life's too colorful  
>Beautiful, don't know what lies ahead, but<p>

I'm ready now, it's time  
>Gotta go, gotta get out of this town<br>Leave my fear behind  
>Nothing left for me here, can't stick around<br>My dreams are loud and my heart wide awake  
>And all I know is I'm not meant to be silent<p>

* * *

><p><strong>No pov<strong>

Conner woke up to a faint sound of someone singing and a guitar being played. He got up and checked Megan's room. She was asleep but he wanted to see if she knew who it was. So he woke her up with a tiny tap.

"Conner? What is it? What's wrong?" She asks as she sat up.

"Someone is singing and playing the guitar. I thought it was you." Conner explained.

"Come on. Let's figure out how it is." Megan said as she got up and put her fuzzy pink robe on.

Megan and Conner knocked on Artemis's, Wally's, and Robin's door and no one was playing any music.

"Did anyone check in Kaldur's room?" Robin asked with a yawn.

"Well no." Megan said as Conner went to look.

Kaldur wasn't in his room which made Conner suspicious.

"He's not here." Conner said.

"You don't think," Artemis started but didn't finish.

"That Kaldur." Wally said but also didn't finish.

Everybody made a mad dash to the top of the mountain. The music got louder and louder as the got further to the top. They got there to see Kaldur playing the guitar.

"Wake up to a new voice telling me where to go,  
>sounds like I got no choice, but to keep on this road<br>Got my own opinion, my own words to say  
>Got my own vision so I know I can't stay, there's<br>No looking back now, I feel a change

I'm ready now, it's time  
>Gotta go, gotta get out of this town<br>Leave my fear behind  
>Nothing left for me here, can't stick around<br>My dreams are loud and my heart wide awake  
>And all I know is I'm not meant to be silent<p>

No more black and white, this life's too colorful  
>Beautiful, don't know what lies ahead, but<p>

I'm ready now, it's time, leave my fear behind  
>My dreams are loud and my hearts wide awake<br>And all I know is, I'm not meant to be silent  
>I'm ready know it's time, yeah<br>and leave my fear behind me

My dreams are loud and my heart's wide awake  
>And all I know is I'm not meant to be silent" Kaldur ended softly.<p>

The team stood in shock for several minutes. Kaldur put his guitar down and looked up at the sky. He slowly rolled his head back and shut his eyes. He moved his head back up to look at the sky again.

"You know that it is very rude to spy on people." Kaldur said not even turning his head to look at his team.

"Kal you can sing." Wally said as he sprinted over to him.

"Apparently I can." Kaldur joked with a smile.

"And you play guitar." Artemis said as she sat down next to him.

"I am aware." Kaldur said lightly chuckling.

"But how? Who taught you?" Robin asked while sitting next to Wally.

"That is a long and funny story." Kaldur said trying not to blush.

"We're listening." Megan said as sat next to Artemis.

"Well it starts when I was a child. My mother drilled I was taught 3 things. Always respect others, get good grade, and never show your emotions. She feared what I would become if I got angry. I inherited the Manta's bad temper. Everyone was afraid of me. And soon enough I became afraid of me. When I was accepted in to the academy, it became a fresh start for me. No rule, no mother, just me living my life. When I started my lesson there, it was pure hell. Day after day I was bullied." Kaldur said with a dark look in his eyes.

"Wait you were bullied?" Robin asked.

"Yes I was. Shocking enough I was bullied. I was bullied for a lot reason. My skin color, my quiet personality, my respect for other, my grades, the fact I lived at the palace. This went on for several long months. I would come back to the palace with bruises and I would lie saying I received them during a lesson. I never gave them the satisfaction of crying front of my abusers. I had too much pride for that. I also inherit the Manta's pride. I wanted to fight back. You have no idea what's it like to be so powerful, and yet feel so powerless. I never did fight back because my mother always popped in the back of my mind. I was afraid of her. Now I know what you are all thinking. Yes, I could have; no correction, I_ should _have told Queen Mera and Annex about the bullying, but I would have only given my abusers another reason to hurt me. Queen Mera saw that I was struggling to find a way to deal with my emotions. She tried everything to get me to openly express myself. She tried therapy, which I did not any way, shape, or form wanted to do. She tried art and I for one have zero artist abilities. She even tried journalism of my feeling and that just put me to sleep or I was too bored to finish it." Kaldur explained.

"So how does this get us to the present?" Wally asked.

"Will you shut up and let him get there?" Artemis said.

"To answer Wally's question, it started when the abuse went too far. It was a training _"__accident" _when I was punched square in the face. My mouth started to bleed and Tula went ballistic. Garth had to hold her back to make sure she did not hurt anyone. I quickly left the room and just swam. I did not where I was going but I did not care. I found this old ballroom at the palace and just closed the door. I bent my head down and just cried. I have never openly cried in my life. At that moment I completely broke down. When I looked up I saw a whole orchestra of instruments just covered with sheets. I got up and went to the piano and uncovered it. It was still tuned perfectly. I just wanted to learn more about instruments so I went to the library and started to learn on how to play instruments. I started with the piano since it was the first instrument I saw. For a couple of months it started to help me. I would go to the ballroom after my lessons and played. It felt like the world just stopped moving. All the pain, the suffering ended in that moment. I was never abused by anyone at that moment. I was alone anymore. I was never in pain anymore. I poured every emotion I had into that piano. It was the first time in years I felt at peace." Kaldur explained with a light smile on his face.

"What happened after a couple of months?" Conner asked.

"It simply stopped working. I still felt some anger. That is when I turned to strings. The violin was the first string I ever played. One day I was angry about something. I do not even remember what it even was. I went to the ballroom, picked up the violin, and began playing. I play until my fingers ache, my arms grew heavy, and I soon grew physically and mentally grew tired. Even at that moment I continued to play. I finally stopped and fell to the floor out of exhaustion. I did not feel at peace, I felt relived and no longer stressed. I turned to the violin when I am stressed or angry and the piano when I want to the world, my world to stop moving." Kaldur explained.

"I would love to hear you play the violin." Megan said.

"So how did you get the guitar?" Robin asked.

"It was about a year ago. I was about 15 then. Aquaman gave me an apartment in Maine. Every morning I would go for a run then to the beach for a swim. I would pass by this little music shop everyday. I never noticed the shop until Musa was up for sale." Kaldur said as he placed his hand on the polished wooden guitar.

"Musa?" Artemis asked.

"I did not name the guitar. The previous owner name it Musa. The name just kind of stuck. I worked in the apartment I lived by fixing sink, I played the piano in the lobby for tips, I even worked in the music shop for the money to buy her. After about 5 months of working, I was finally able to buy it. I had her for the past year and a half now." Kaldur said with a small smile.

"So how do we get to you playing it now?" Wally asked bluntly.

"Everything that happened in the past couple of days, it just started to build up. I had to release the sadness the only way I knew how. By playing. So that is how we get to the present." Kaldur said simply.

"Kaldur, you know that you can talk to us right. That's why we're a team." Megan said.

"I know. It is hard for me to do so. I am sorry to burden you all with my problems." Kaldur said as he turned his head in shame.

"You don't burdens us. If anything we burden you Kal." Wally said.

"We're always here for you. Don't forget that." Robin said.

"Thank you." kaldur whispered slightly happy.

"Can you play something else? Please" Conner asked.

Kaldur smiled and began to strum a new tone. He began to play 'Here Comes the Sun'. The team stayed there for god knows how many hours. They all just sat there, enjoying the music, each other's company, and the nice warm relaxing night.


End file.
